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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · safe · tear · bank · craft · calf · straw · stem

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stem — to come from
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. tear — from crying
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bank — for money
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bank — of a river
  21. craft — boats
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com